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Blue states might find better friends in Canada

Will Sen.-elect Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) "make them squeal"? Possibly the time has come to think of many things.

In an essay for The Hill this week, columnist Bill Press declares that the Supreme Court is out of order for calling up another legal challenge to ObamaCare.

"Some of us remember when 'judicial activism' was a club Republicans used to clobber liberal judges appointed by Democrats, accusing them of legislating from the bench," he writes. "No longer. Republicans are now masters of judicial activism."

Indeed, to paraphrase Carl von Clausewitz, politics is war by other means and "politicians in robes" are not detached aesthetes. They are warriors.

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The time may be approaching to consider that this is a problem without a solution. As has been widely reported, political sensibility in our times has become fixed and regionalized between red and blue states. Each realm alienated now — possibly permanently — one from the other.

Possibly the American condition is entering an evolutionary phase. With new themes — states' rights, sound money, constitutional government — entering the mainstream, my guess is that it is. Possibly the blue states should begin informally cultivating new friends; Canada, Australia and others in the Anglosphere, to advance common culture and-like minded political sensibilities. My adult children work and play easily and comfortably in Australia, Canada, Britain and other Commonwealth countries, but although our family has deepest roots and family still in the Deep South, there are some places in America where they now refuse to go, and other places where they are afraid to go. That situation increases as political hostilities rise.

Here is a thought. By tweaking the Constitution, states could informally enter into "sympathetic legislation" with places outside our American borders, but with common sensibility to our regions. Here in the northern counties of New Hampshire and Vermont, we have more in common with Quebec and Ontario than we do with Texas or Arizona, but are limited by federal law in our relationships.

It comes to mind as Toyota announces a major commitment this week to producing zero emission vehicles (ZEV) to be run on hydrogen. It should be a watershed moment for the auto industry as other major producers follow suit. But the problem will be in finding a place to fill up on hydrogen in red America.

If you look at a red state map today, it covers the vast middle of America almost completely for the first time. But if you look at map of states with ZEV programs, it covers just the other states; the blue states on the edges exclusively, up the West Coast, then down the East Coast. With commitment to ZEV principles by major producers, hydrogen cars should be an inspired possibility in blue states east and west. But the only way to get hydrogen stations from here to there is across Canada.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was governor of California, he proposed a chain of hydrogen stations to be built from southern California north to British Columbia. The Trans-Canada highway would also be a likely place for a chain of hydrogen stations, forming a link from San Diego through Canada, all the way to Boston. These are all largely sympathetic regions and Canada's provincial premiers could well be interested in a joint venture, as would blue state governors below, while red state governors likely would not be.

Blue America is at a crossroads today. Possibly it is permanently outnumbered by Red America and faces permanent and hostile total domination. One solution might be to look to the Great White North for sympathetic friendships.

Quigley is a prize-winning writer who has worked more than 35 years as a book and magazine editor, political commentator and reviewer. For 20 years he has been an amateur farmer, raising Tunis sheep and organic vegetables. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and four children. Contact him at quigley1985@gmail.com.